Importance of Tools

• Effective online classes include strategic

course designs and tools used to engage

students.

• Efficient and appropriately incorporated

technology can enhance student engagement

and participation throughout an online course.

• “Without intentional engagement of students,

little, if any, learning will take place.” – The

Quarterly Review of Distance Education

Benefits

These online tools are :

– Efficient

– Free or low cost

– Easy to use

– Provide rich experiences

– Engaging

– Ways for students to construct knowledge

Communication Tools

• Tools are engaging elements that enhance

learning in online instruction.

• Establish a clear communication plan for your

students.

• Set guidelines and expectations

• Evaluate tools

Blogs

• Student posts can include: short essays in

response to readings, brief interviews with

experts, reviews of artwork, etc.

• Personal Blogs create a means for student‟s to

voice his or her opinions.

• Creates an open discussion between peers

and instructor

• Learn to write for a wider audience

• Instructors can summarize lessons

• Younger students are engaged by blogs more

than discussion boards

Social-Networking Sites

• Facebook, Twitter, and Edmodo

• Younger generations enjoy being on these sites.

• Provide up-to-date course information

• Establish a common bond between students and

instructor. Ex: Hash tags, photos

Edmodo Example

• Edmodo is beneficial for educators

• A social-networking, educational website that calls for student interaction and learning.

• Beneficial tool to engage learners

http://www.edmodo.com/home

http://network.laxpower.com/laxforum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1842

Skype

• Communication through voice, video, text,

simultaneous editing, and immediate

feedback.

• Online support available if needed

• User friendly

• It is a free download

http://www.teachingdegree.org/2009/06/30/50-

awesome-ways-to-use-skype-in-the-

classroom/

Communication Tools

• Technological tools promote learner-

centered engagement as well as peer

interaction.

• The tools can help connect teachers with

their colleagues, department chairs, and

other administrative resources in further

quality, just-in-time faculty development.

• Other good communication devices that

are simple to use include: Back Channel

Chat, ooVoo, Google Talk, Podcasts.

PRESENTATION TOOLS

• Nonlinguistic representations, graphic

organizers, note taking, and setting

goals/objectives are ways to effectively

utilize presentation tools.

Prezi• Tool to create presentations.

• Webbed presentations which are non-linear.

• Can include pictures, videos, hyperlinks, and more.

• Engaging projects that promote creativity

• One can create a free account

Example: Great Jazz Bassists and their Influence through the Ages

http://prezi.com/uh_7jvp0ykpf/great-jazz-bassists-and-their-influence-through-the-

ages/

ZoomIt

• Instructor can „zoom in‟ on screen

• It allows the user to:

– Use the Control to zoom into the screen

– Turn the mouse into a marker

– Annotate

– Put a timer on the screen

• Works only with Windows

• Free download

Glogster

• Students can create book reviews, digital posters, topic explorations, use video, graphics, and text

• Educators and students can express themselves in unique ways

• Learners can interact in multi-sensory environments

• Upload sounds, videos, pictures, utilize accent images,

• Can name and publish Glogs

• One can create a free account

Online Interactive Learning Tools

• Enhances learning opportunities

• Engages students

• Should not be used to replace teacher but as

a tool to spark learning

• Free/low-cost but high-quality information

Animation Evaluation (Lamb &

Johnson, 2006)

• Does the animation contribute to the

effectiveness of the project?

• Does the user have control over the

animation sequence or speed?

• Does animation attract rather than distract

users?

• Is animation used in meaningful ways?

Animation Examples

• “The Labs” at the Building Big website

– http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/lab/index.h

tml

Interaction Evaluation (Lamb &

Johnson, 2006)• Does the interaction contribute to the

effectiveness of the project?

• Does the interaction provide levels of

access or control to address individual

needs?

• Do interactive elements function

effectively?

• Do interactive elements contribute to

understanding rather than confusion?

• Is the result of interaction clear and

effective?

Interaction Examples

• Simulations:

– Monterey Bay Aquarium (Make a Tide Pool)

• http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/lc/kids_pla

ce/tidepool/tidepool.asp

• Gaming:

– U.S. Dept of Agriculture MyPlate BlastOff Game

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/multimedia/Games/Blast

off/BlastOff_Game.html

• Tutorials:

– Edheads- Virtual Knee Surgery

• http://www.edheads.org/activities/knee/swf/index.

htm

Multimedia Evaluation (Lamb &

Johnson, 2006)

• Does the multimedia contribute to the

effectiveness of the project?

• Are media attributes used effectively

without being distracting?

• Do the media elements address

alternative learning styles?

• Were media elements clear and easy to

understand and interpret?

Multimedia Examples

• Arts Alive Canada

– http://www.artsalive.ca/en/

• Arizona Opera

• Dallas Symphony

• San Francisco Symphony

Putting It All Together

• “A Dancer‟s Journal” from the Kennedy

Center

• National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

– http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Education/Conservatio

nCentral/design/daph_broadband.htm

More Resources

• Quizlet

• Google Resources

• BrainPop & BrainPOP Jr. (not all are free)

• National Geographic

• PBS

• Discovery

• Scholastic

• NASA

**An easy way to find National Geographic” and

add the word flash or interactive

Collaboration Tools

•Should allow for anytime access

•Often owned by a third-party company (ie.

Dropbox, Flikr, etc.)

•May require download or a fee

•Ease of use allows for an opportunity for

sharing information

•Contributes a social element to the learning

experience

Google Drive

• Allows individuals to store docs online

• Able to share with peers or keep private

• Peers able to view may also edit

• May use documents, spreadsheets, forms,

or presentations

– Variety of formats available: DOC, XLS, CSV,

ODT, PDF, RTF, and HTML

• Allows for organization through folders and

drag/drop options

More Resources

• Doodle, Meeting Wizard

– Online schedular

• Lino, MyStickies, Corkboard.me, Primary

Wall

– Online sticky note service

• Post memos, to-do lists, ideas, videos, and

photos

Resources

• Boulos, Maged, Inocencio Maramba, and Steve

Wheeler. "Wikis, Blogs, and Podcasts: A New

Generation of Web- Based Tools for Virtual

Collaborative Clinical Practice and Education."

BMC Medical Education 6.41 (2006).

• Hargis, Jace and Wilcox, Michelle S. Ubiquitous, Free,

and Efficent Online Collaboration Tools for Teaching

and Learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance

Education-TOJDE October 2008, Vol 9, Number 4

• Lamb, Annette, and Larry Johnson. "Flash: Engaging

Learners Through Animation, Interaction, and

Multimedia." Teacher Librarian 33.4 (April 2006):

54- 56.

Resources

• Meloni, Julie. Technologies for Teaching: Strategies

and Pitfalls. Chronicle of Higher Education; 11/5/2010,

Vol. 57 Issue 11, pB22.

• Revere, Lee and Kovach, Jamison V. Online

Technologies For Engaged Learning: A

Meaningful Synthesis for Educators. The Quarterly

Review of Distance Education, Vol 12(2), 2011, pp.

113-124.